We went out with T2 and Egret for a beer last night, which didn’t really do wonders for my weight-lifting this morning. I did it all, though, just felt a little off. Note to self: don’t order the really big beers just because everyone else is, especially when they’re drinking Bud Light and you’re drinking Bass. (Well, Rudder wasn’t drinking light beer, of course, but I think he was drinking Bud.)
After we went home, we had the annual Dichroic’s-reading-Gaudy-Night ethical discussion. (Yes, I know he puts up with a lot.) Rudder’s view was that, if I were to commit an act of academic dishonesty, ignoring evidence that disproved a theory I was publishing, he would be disappointed, would try to talk me out of it, but then would stand back figuring that truth would out and I would be hurting myself more than anyone else. (He did say he would take a more severe stance if I were actively suppressing the evidence against my theory.)
I think I wanted him to disapprove more strongly of the original lie by omission("Dichroic, you’re not the woman I thought you were. No, I don’t hate you, but I must go. I can’t live a lie." *averts eyes and strides off into the sunset*) Honestly, though, I’m not sure how much of that is because my opinions and moral code really are influenced by whatever I’m reading. To a degree only, of course; I’m not about to read Mein Kampf and start plotting genocide, but this may have something to do with why I keep coming back to authors who have their own strong morality, from L.M. Montgomery to Robert A. Heinlein. It’s safer, for me.
Posted by dichroic at June 28, 2001 08:31 AM